PPL plans to upgrade electric system

As promised after storms disabled the regional power grid three times in 2011, PPL Electric Utilities on Thursday announced the start of a $35 million project to upgrade its distribution system in southern and western Berks County and parts of Lancaster and Chester counties.

During public hearings in Harrisburg and Reading this year called by state Sen. Judy Schwank, a Ruscombmanor Township Democrat, and state Rep. Thomas R. Caltagirone, a Reading Democrat, PPL officials promised an overall $3 billion upgrade to its electric grid, which covers parts of Berks and 29 other counties.

Electric customers in the project area are served by a network of 69-kilovolt transmission lines that are nearing their capacity, PPL officials said.

The electrical power demand on those lines from residential and industrial customers makes it more difficult for the company to restore power after an outage, particularly during peak summer periods. That means customers might go without power for long periods when they need it most.

The project's three phases:

• A new, 4- to 5-mile 69-kilovolt transmission line between PPL's Twin Valley substation in Caernarvon Township to a substation in Honey Brook Township, Chester County. The line is to be operating in May 2014.

• A new 69-kilovolt substation on a 40-acre parcel owned by PPL about a mile north of Bowmansville, Lancaster County, along Route 625. It is scheduled to go online in May 2016.

• A new, 7- to 9-mile 69-kilovolt transmission line to run from the new North Lancaster substation to an existing transmission line serving Honey Brook, Morgantown and Twin Valley areas. The line is set to be operating in May 2016.